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Neutron star

Centaurus X-3

Also Cen X-3 · V779 Centauri

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The first X-ray pulsar discovered: a neutron star spinning every 4.8 seconds while it feeds on a massive companion.

Measured

Distance
about 23,520 light-years (published estimates 21,400–26,090)
Constellation
Centaurus
Position (J2000)
RA 11h 21m 15s, Dec −60.62°

How far, from the Sun

About 23,500 light-years. To cross it:

  • Light23,500 years
  • Voyager 1's speed418 million years
  • Driving at 100 km/h254 billion years

Voyager 1 at the speed it moved outward over the year to 2026-10-25 (JPL Horizons). Driving: nonstop, never refuelling.

Facts

  • The Uhuru satellite found its pulses in 1971.
  • Its distance comes from a Gaia parallax: the tiny yearly shift in its position as the Earth circles the Sun.

Where this comes from

  • Gaia DR3 parallax 0.1387 ± 0.0137 mas, Gaia DR3 5337498593446516480 (Gaia Collaboration 2023, A&A 674, A1)
  • This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, CDS, Strasbourg, France (Wenger et al. 2000, A&AS 143, 9).
  • This research has made use of the VizieR catalogue access tool, CDS, Strasbourg, France (DOI: 10.26093/cds/vizier).

Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.